Previously Unseen John Lennon Photos Reveal How Far Popular Music Has Fallen

A cache of photos showing John Lennon writing Give Peace A Chance during his famous bed- in with Yoko Ono in Montreal in 1969 have been unearthed. You can see the pictures here.

They made me sad.

When Life photographer Gerry Deiter took the shots, Lennon was considered an important figure in popular culture. As the leader of the most popular rock band ever, his views on politics and spirituality were, rightly or wrongly, taken very seriously indeed.

The pictures, which were shelved and left in a drawer for 40 years until they were recently discovered, show Lennon stroking a guitar as Yoko Ono chats to 16 year old Gail Reynard. She had scaled the fire escape and begged to stay and watch proceedings and the couple had agreed.

Gail was given the handwritten lyrics for Lennon's song as a gift. In 2008 she sold the note for $600,000. The song, Give Peace A Chance, became the anthem of the anti-war movement and was sung by half a million demonstrators in Washington DC at the Vietnam Moratorium Day on October 15 1969.

Today, security would have had her arrested, Lennon would be a finalist on American Idol and they'd certainly be no thought to world peace.